Can I upgrade my dimmable downlights to LED for free?

Please note: As of 1st February 2023, FREE Lighting upgrades are no longer available for Victorian homes. This is in accordance with the Victorian Energy Upgrades program (VEU).

One of our most frequently asked questions involves dimmable downlights. Many homes around Victoria have opted to install downlights – they create a warm, cozy aesthetic for a family home. They provide even light and can help a room appear larger and they also work with dimmer switches. Most of the customers we see have opted not to install dimmer switches, but we do still have a high number of questions and requests for upgrades to LED in homes with dimmer switches.

So, we thought we would provide a helpful answer that Victorians can read on whether dimmable downlights can be upgraded to LED for free through VEET, or the now-titled VEU Program.

Can we upgrade dimmable lights to LED for free

Yes, dimmable downlights can be upgraded. However, it’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes.

In most cases, dimmable halogen downlights are typically 1 of 2 models; MR16 or GU10s. If you have halogen MR16 downlights on a dimmer switch we cannot upgrade these fittings to an MR16 dimmable LED. Dimmable MR16s do exist on the market, but we will not install them. They’re notoriously unreliable and not a product we would recommend any business or residential property to invest in. It’s likely they will fail and you will end up replacing them. If you have dimmable MR16s we cannot complete a FREE upgrade to LED, but we can upgrade your fittings to IC Rated downlights. These upgrades do have an additional cost because they’re not 100% subsidised under the VEU Program, although they do have some subsidy.

By upgrading to IC Rated LED downlights you’ll still see savings of around 85% on your lighting costs and will have all the additional benefits such as they last around a decade, no dulling or flickering, they don’t run at hot temperatures and the quality of light is superior. They have an even greater benefit – they can come into close contact with roof insulation:

“IC Rated stands for an insulation contact rated downlight. If a downlight has been rated as ‘IC’ it means it has met the requirements set out by the New Australian Standard on Recessed Luminaires standard (AS/NZS standard 60598.2.2:2001). And, it means these products are deemed suitable for use when covered in building insulation. This means the light fitting can come into close contact with insulation, which is not the case with most downlights.  (From our post ‘what are IC Rated downlights’)

Please note: As of 1st February 2023, FREE Lighting upgrades are no longer available for Victorian homes. This is in accordance with the Victorian Energy Upgrades program (VEU).

For a quote to upgrade your dimmable downlights to IC Rated downlights, give us a call as the price can be subject to change.

If your dimmable halogen downlights are GU10 globes we should be able to upgrade these to dimmable LEDs without any difficulty, completely free.

Each MR16 globe has a transformer attached to it and that should be how you can easily tell if your globes are MR16 or GU10, but if you can’t access behind your lights to check, we can do that for you. All you need to do is take a picture on your phone and send it to us with your name and contact information to enquiries (at) energymakeovers.com.au and we can tell you which globes you have and if you’re eligible for a free upgrade to dimmable LEDs.